bittiness

Noun

bittiness (uncountable)

1. The quality of being bitty; fragmentedness.
   • D[ryden]’s lit[erary] patriotism [is] genuine, but he made good use of it to cover up the “bittiness” of his own plays. He could always point to the “bittiness” of Shakespeare and does not realize that though Shakespeare wrote tragi-comedies and indulged in double plots, he nevertheless attained an...1931, E. M. Forster, “The Creator as Critic,” V., in Jeffrey M. Heath (ed.), The Creator as Critic And Other Writings by E.M. Forster, Toronto: Dundurn Press, p. 94
   • Each thing was seen on its own. The walls had to be a most tender shade of washed out coral. And the carpet had to be the kind of green that is almost grey, the flowers were arranged bowl by bowl, vase by vase, and though each was lovely in itself, there was no general beauty in the room. ¶ Unknown...1950, Mervyn Peake, chapter 33, in Gormenghast, London: Eyre & Spottiswoode
2. The inclusion of material in paint or varnish films which disturbs the smooth uniformity of the coating.
   • ‘Bittiness’ occurs when dirt is incorporated into the surface from the atmosphere or dirty tools, or if the paint is not properly strained.1994, John Hinks, Geoff Cook, The Technology of Building Defects, Spon Press, published 2003, Section 6.5, p. 121